The Colosseum or
Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre is an elliptical
amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete
and stone, it was the largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, and is
considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and
engineering. It is the largest amphitheatre in the world. The Colosseum
is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the
emperor Vespasian in 70 AD, and was completed in 80 AD under his
successor and heir Titus. Further modifications were made during the
reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian
dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association
with their family name.
The Colosseum could
hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, and was
used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea
battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and
dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for
entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such
purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a
fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine. Although in the 21st century
it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating
earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of
Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and
has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good
Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that
starts in the area around the Colosseum. The Colosseum, like all the
Historic Centre of Rome, Properties of the Holy See in Italy and the
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, was listed as a World Heritage
Site by UNESCO in 1980. In 2007 the complex was also included among the
New7Wonders of the World, following a competition organized by New Open
World Corporation (NOWC).-
The Colosseum was
used to host gladiatorial shows as well as a variety of other events.
The shows, called munera, were always given by private individuals
rather than the state. They had a strong religious element but were also
demonstrations of power and family prestige, and were immensely popular
with the population. Another popular type of show was the animal hunt,
or venatio. This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly
imported from Africa and the Middle East, and included creatures such as
rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wisents,
Barbary lions, panthers, leopards, bears, Caspian tigers, crocodiles and
ostriches. Battles and hunts were often staged amid elaborate sets with
movable trees and buildings. Such events were occasionally on a huge
scale; Trajan is said to have celebrated his victories in Dacia in 107
with contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the
course of 123 days.
During the early days
of the Colosseum, ancient writers recorded that the building was used
for naumachiae (more properly known as navalia proelia) or simulated sea
battles. Accounts of the inaugural games held by Titus in AD 80
describe it being filled with water for a display of specially trained
swimming horses and bulls. There is also an account of a re-enactment of
a famous sea battle between the Corcyrean (Corfiot) Greeks and the
Corinthians. This has been the subject of some debate among historians;
although providing the water would not have been a problem, it is
unclear how the arena could have been waterproofed, nor would there have
been enough space in the arena for the warships to move around. It has
been suggested that the reports either have the location wrong, or that
the Colosseum originally featured a wide floodable channel down its
central axis (which would later have been replaced by the hypogeum). -
Sylvae or recreations
of natural scenes were also held in the arena. Painters, technicians
and architects would construct a simulation of a forest with real trees
and bushes planted in the arena's floor, and animals would then be
introduced. Such scenes might be used simply to display a natural
environment for the urban population, or could otherwise be used as the
backdrop for hunts or dramas depicting episodes from mythology. They
were also occasionally used for executions in which the hero of the
story played by a condemned person was killed in one of various gruesome
but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or
burned to death. -
